Creative Workforces for Sustainable Futures: An Empowerment Perspective

Abstract

This research explores how social sustainable development (SSD) in the fast fashion textile industry can be affected by structural empowerment, psychological empowerment, and the creativity of employees in the industry mediated by artificial intelligence (AI). The study based on the Self-Determination Theory postulates that empowered workers have a greater intrinsic motivation to make contributions towards socially responsible and ethical workplace behaviours. An explanatory design of a quantitative nature was taken up, and 179 managerial and non-managerial employees were selected using a structured questionnaire. Direct and indirect relationships were tested by using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results show that employee creativity and psychological empowerment have a significant and positive effect on social sustainable development. AI adoption is highly anticipated by structural empowerment, and this would also increase socially sustainable results. In addition, AI mediates the connections between dimensions of empowerment, creativity, and SSD, and it is possible to note that it is a strategic facilitator, but not a technological control mechanism. The research will add to the literature on sustainability and digital transformation by incorporating empowerment, creativity, and AI into the same structure. In practice, the findings imply that the social sustainability of textile companies can be long-term in terms of empowered and creative staff and responsible introduction of AI-based systems.

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